Franziska Scanagatta

Francesca Scanagatta ( born August 1, 1776 in Milan, † 1865 ) was an Austrian officer.

Soldier in the 18th century

Francesca Scanagatta was the only graduate of the Theresa Military Academy in Wiener Neustadt between its founding in 1751 and the year 2003, when again four female officers were retired for the first time. Your training at the Military Academy " tricked " them yourself. Since she lived outside the academy, their camouflage is not noticed. After her promotion to lieutenant Scanagatta was 1801 on their military careers without compromising their identity was revealed. When Emperor Franz II finally found out, he gave her yet the board.

Life

In 1794, her father wanted her even accommodate her brother Giacomo at the Military Academy in Wiener Neustadt and Vienna in a convent school. Giacomo told his sister that he had no desire to be a soldier professions. " This brotherly confession but brought in Francesca's adventurous head to the bold decision to maturity, enter instead of her brother in the Military Academy " ( Brosch ). A series of fortunate coincidences facilitated their projects. The siblings traveled under the care of a secretary, who had no idea that one of the two "brothers" a disguised girl. As external Frequentantin she could take the senior physician of the Academy quarters and did not need to live with their comrades together, so that they could more easily preserve their incognito. This she also managed with the help of all their cunning and determination during the whole time at the academy. In January 1797 it was decommissioned as a second lieutenant to frontier Warasdiner Infantry Regiment No. 6. As Zugskommandant they did with the campaign of 1797 and proved to be very good. 1798 she was transferred to the infantry regiment 56 to Galicia, there escaped narrowly trouble of danger to be recognized as a girl and then went back for a military use. With the boundary Infantry Regiment 12 took part in the siege of Genoa, in part, distinguished himself in the defense of the outpost Barba special bravery and was seriously wounded. This time they escaped narrowly trouble of danger to be discovered. On March 1, 1800, she was promoted to lieutenant and visited their proud parents in Milan. This has now succeeded - having regard to the health risk of the combination lacing her chest - to move them to end their military careers. Her father reached a leave of absence for an indefinite period, and finally in 1801 the retirement with a pension for Lieutenant General of Cavalry Melas. Three years later she was married to a former New Town academics, who had, however, learned that his former classmate was a girl. "After more than twenty years of marriage, her husband died as a Major and she was the only person in Austria, moved by imperial decree, both the widow's pension of majors and the rest enjoyment of First Lieutenant " ( Brosch ). The army remained always had to vacate temporarily attached and as this 1848 Milan, she cared devotedly for the remaining wounded. For the centenary of Theresa Military Academy in 1852, it sent her " obedient Congratulations " and signed " Widow Franz Scanagatta, Lieutenant, Major Spini " with. This letter is still in the Museum of the Military Academy today. Francesca Scanagatta could still see that her eldest grandson marched as a military academic in Wiener Neustadt, before she died in her hometown of Milan.

Motto of Francesca Scanagatta

"Una verace risoluta virtù non trova impresa impossibile a lei. "

( Truly resolute fortitude, nothing is impossible ).